In today’s fresh departments — meat, seafood, deli, produce, and bakery — accurate and compliant product labeling is essential. It is no longer sufficient to print a basic barcode and a price. Fresh food retailers must encode a variety of product-specific information on every label to support regulatory compliance, traceability, checkout accuracy, and customer trust.
This is where GS1 DataBar makes a significant impact.
What Is GS1 DataBar?
GS1 DataBar is a family of barcodes designed to carry more detailed information in a smaller space than traditional UPC barcodes. It supports GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs) — standardized codes that define the type of data being encoded.
By using GS1 DataBar, retailers can include not just the product identifier but also key dynamic attributes that change with each package or batch.
Common Application Identifiers Used in Fresh Food Labeling
GS1 DataBar supports a wide range of AIs that are especially useful in fresh food labeling environments:
- (01) GTIN – Global Trade Item Number
- (310x) Net weight in kilograms
- (320x) Net weight in pounds
- (392x) Price in local currency
- (15) Best before date
- (17) Expiration date
- (10) Lot or batch number
- (21) Serial number
- (7002) Meat cut identification
- (240) Store-specific product identifiers
These identifiers allow retailers to provide accurate, scannable data that supports item-level traceability and compliance.
The Benefits of GS1 DataBar for Retailers
1. Regulatory Compliance
Labeling requirements from organizations such as the FDA, USDA, and state-level weights and measures agencies continue to grow in complexity. GS1 DataBar allows retailers to encode critical information, such as expiration dates and country of origin, in a format that meets current regulations and is ready for future mandates.
2. Faster Checkout
GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional and Stacked variants are scannable at the point of sale, just like traditional UPC codes. This ensures that even variable-weight products with dynamically printed labels can be scanned quickly and accurately.
3. Improved Traceability
By embedding lot numbers, production dates, or batch codes directly in the barcode, retailers can respond faster to product recalls or quality issues. This reduces risk and supports food safety initiatives across the supply chain.
4. Operational Flexibility
GS1 DataBar gives retailers the flexibility to configure which AIs are used on a per-item, per-department, or per-store basis. Whether you need simple weight-based pricing or detailed tracking of packaged meat cuts, the format adapts to your needs.
How Focus Digital Solutions Supports GS1 DataBar Labeling
At Focus Digital Solutions, our labeling platform is designed to fully support GS1 DataBar standards for every use case in fresh food operations.
Our solution includes:
- Dynamic barcode rendering with configurable Application Identifiers
- Seamless integration with scales and label printers
- Built-in compliance checks and safeguards
- Centralized reporting tools to monitor label activity and catch issues early
Whether you manage one store or hundreds, we help you ensure that every label produced is accurate, compliant, and consistent with your operational goals.
Ready to Modernize Your Fresh Food Labeling?
If your current system is not making full use of GS1 DataBar capabilities, you could be missing critical opportunities for efficiency, compliance, and customer protection.
Contact Focus Digital Solutions today to learn how we can help you implement a labeling solution that is smart, reliable, and future-ready.